Who behind Boudjellal?
Franco-Tunisian businessman Mohamed Ayachi Ajroudi confirmed “discussions” on Tunisian radio Shems FM, explaining that Mourad Boudjellal would indeed be the president chosen in the event of a takeover.
“I may be the administrative director, according to the agreements in preparation for a year, “he added, assuring the” seriousness of the project. Ajroudi presents himself at the head of a Saudi consortium which has not yet revealed the composition of its team.
Ajroudi, 68, an engineer by training, has worked in many fields, notably the environment. His research and consultancy company ONAS International, very well established in the Persian Gulf, has in particular enabled him to build a solid network in the region.
He founded a small political party, The Tunisian Movement for Freedom and Dignity, and owns a television channel in Tunisia, Al Janoubiya.
In sport, he presides over the Stade Nabeulien, a 3rd division club, ran the Hammamet handball club, and is a patron for over 15 years of the Stade Gabésien (in 2nd division), of which he is the honorary president.
“Mr Ajroudi is a man who knows how to bring people together”, assures one of the candidate buyers.
Is McCourt a seller?
No, repeats the entourage of the American, denying that discussions have been started. “OM is not for sale”, assures the president of the club, Jacques-Henri Eyraud. But it is Frank McCourt, the owner, who decides, insists on the side of the buyers.
Several arguments argue against a sale. Phase 2 of the Eyraud / McCourt project has just started, the club is in the process of recruiting two new senior leaders, a “Head of football” and a “Head of business”.
On the other hand, the first price that filtered, 300 million euros, would not allow the Bostonian to recoup his costs. He has already spent around 350 million euros: 45 million euros on purchase in October 2016, 78 million euros of debts fulfilled on arrival, and around 220 million euros in transfers.
Finally, McCourt is used to doing much better business: in 2012, he sold for $ 2 billion the Los Angeles Dodgers (baseball), bought $ 430 million eight years earlier.
The arguments of the candidate buyers
“McCourt bought OM 45 million euros and the club is not in better shape than when he bought it,” AFP said on Wednesday.
Could the American sell to stop spawnings? “McCourt has put a lot of money, the hole continues to widen, the club is at risk, he is not about to see his sorrel again”, continues this source.
The same person recognizes the successes of the JHE team, “the ticket office, the takeover of the stadium, the modernized training center, but there remains an imbalance with considerable damage”.
“No economy supports a 50 million euro deficit (June 2018), (then) 91 million euros (June 2019) and another heavy deficit to come”, asserts this source, promising “a socio-political project bringing together the whole Mediterranean basin “.
Why do buyers come out of the wood?
If McCourt does not want to sell, the buyers have publicly declared themselves to put pressure. They let astronomical sums leak out. “The figure of 700 million euros is a journalistic analysis, not stupid but not true “specifies the same source to AFP.
On the OM side, we stress thatno serious investment bank would not appreciate this method of first revealing itself in the media.
These millions make Marseille supporters dream, who are just waiting to ignite, and push the Olympian clan, harassed by the media, to repetitive denials.
“We are not going to re-comment on each twist”, do we get annoyed at OM. On the sporting front, the answer was the extension of playmaker Dimitri Payet’s contract, with salary reduction and retraining at the club, proof that the project is good in the long term.
“They talk about negotiations, but they negotiate on their own,” said a member of the management of OM. “By saying that the club is not for sale, in fact, they are launching the negotiation,” replied a buyer. The series is launched …
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